‘My dad is really sick’: Parents describe ‘terrifying’ medical care
A mother and father of two who were left in tears after receiving a medical diagnosis of terminal cancer have described how they were ‘terrified’ when they were told they would have to wait months for an appointment with their GP.
Claire and Peter McKeever said they were shocked to learn that their two-year-old son, Benjamin, had been diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer called sarcoma.
They said their son had been kept in a coma for three weeks when he was diagnosed.
They have since gone to a specialist for an initial assessment, which has revealed a more aggressive tumour in his brain.
Claire McKeiver and her husband Peter McLeod.
Source: Facebook Claire McLeod said: ‘It’s just devastating.
We’ve had our whole life to work, our life and our future, it’s all been taken away from us.’
The doctor told us that we would be waiting three months for the appointment with our GP, and that was the hardest part for us.
‘It was a bit like we were in a nightmare, and we just wanted to be home and to see our family and get our kids back.’
We were terrified and we were terrified we would not be able to get to the appointment, because the hospital had just announced the appointment time.’
They told us if we wanted to wait any longer we would have had to stay home.’
But we didn’t want to leave our two-month-old at home with us, and so we stayed home and waited.’
They added that the diagnosis has caused them to be more cautious with the treatments they have been given, including antibiotics, as well as a blood test.
‘The only thing that is keeping us from giving up is that we have a son with cancer, so I think we’re just trying to take everything as a blessing, and not a curse,’ they said.
‘We don’t want anyone else to go through what we’re going through.’
They have spoken to several family members who have been affected by the cancer and have been told to not worry about their son.
Claire said: We don’t have much time left to wait and to try to get through it, we just want to go home, and to be with our son, who is my favourite son.
‘That’s our one priority, and it’s not just about him.
It’s all about the people who care for him, so it’s really important that we do everything we can to get him back to the best possible health, so he can be home with his family.’
The couple have also taken their son to hospital, but they said they are not sure whether he will ever be able be treated.
They say they are hoping for a miracle, but said: There’s a lot of hope in the world, but we just don’t know.
They are not worried about their family, who are all in shock.
‘If this were a normal cancer, I think it would be very different, because he would be dead within a month,’ Claire said.
They also spoke about their frustration at being unable to find a GP who could help them with the diagnosis, as they have had no contact with anyone from the hospital since the diagnosis.
They added: We’re just not sure what to expect.
We’re hoping that we can get the surgery, but that’s not a sure thing.
They described their ordeal as ‘terrible’ and said it would affect their daily lives.
‘Our house is completely burnt down, we’re literally on the street, and our home is a mess, it looks like it’s been completely demolished, and my son has had his stomach pumped, so we’re totally devastated and just devastated,’ they added.
They plan to leave the UK to go back to Germany.
Claire is now seeking help for her son from Germany’s Red Cross, who say they would take her to Germany for their first visit.
They want to ensure that she is treated with respect and compassion.
‘They are really wonderful people, but it’s very important that they treat their patients with dignity and respect, and with respect for their own health and well-being,’ she said.
You can watch the full interview below:
A mother and father of two who were left in tears after receiving a medical diagnosis of terminal cancer have…
